1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to children's toys and amusement devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to toy riding devices such as rocking horses.
2. Description of the Invention's Background
Many different types of rocking or riding toys have been developed for children. For example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 290,474 to Tepper discloses an ornamental design for a rocking seahorse safety ring, and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 275,975 to Ciganko discloses an ornamental design for a rocking toy. In both the Tepper and the Ciganko design patents, however, the riding motion which is possible with the disclosed riding apparatuses is defined solely by rigid elements, such that the range of possible riding motion is restricted to one repeating path and the riding apparatuses are not as enjoyable to ride as apparatuses with more freedom of riding movement.
Other rocking or riding toys have been developed which allow a rider more freedom of movement. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,937,691 to Horgan discloses a riding toy which includes a frame on which a simulated horse is mounted by means of four coil springs. The frame includes four uprights to which the springs are connected. U.S. Pat. No. 2,756,051 to Shone discloses a hobby horse which includes a base made of hollow tubing and a carriage which is connected to the base by four coil springs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,155,390 to Moore, et al. discloses a hobby horse which includes a frame having four uprights, and a horse which is connected to the frame by means of four coil springs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,356 to Buyalos, Jr. discloses a hobby horse base which includes four uprights which support a hobby horse through four laterally protruding pins and four heavy duty coil springs. Suction cups are used to anchor the hobby horse base to the floor. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 165,491 discloses an ornamental design for a hobby horse.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,971,758 to Zimmers discloses a rotatable rocking toy which includes a body of a horse to which are secured transverse support members, a rotatable upper frame having upwardly diverging legs, and coil springs hooked to the support members and the legs. U.S. Pat. No. 2,915,312 to Barthel discloses a hobby horse having a base, end supports, a hollow horse's body mounted on spaced longitudinal bars, and springs secured to the end supports and the longitudinal bars. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,050 to Deady discloses a resiliently supported rider-actuated apparatus which includes a hobby horse, bolts connected to the hobby horse, and springs which are connected between the bolts and two pairs of standards. U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,640 to Lawrence discloses a revolving rocking horse which includes a molded horse body having a post extending downwardly therefrom to a pair of spring brackets, and springs which interconnect the outer apices of the spring brackets to upturned ends of a frame.
All of these riding or rocking toys utilize coil springs to connect a rocking horse or hobby horse to a base or frame and keep it suspended therefrom, and they thus all allow to at least some extent a greater freedom of riding motion than the rocking toys of the Tepper and Ciganko design patents. However, the addition of coil springs to riding and rocking toys has also added disadvantages to the toys. The coils of a coil spring naturally become spaced apart when the ends of the coil spring are pulled apart, i.e., when the coil spring is tensioned, and then quickly return to positions immediately adjacent one another when the ends thereof move back towards one another, i.e., when tension is released. Accordingly, the use of coil springs in a riding or rocking toy make it easy for a child's fingers or toes to be pinched between adjacent coils of a coil spring. In addition, since the coil springs are made of metal, they tend to squeak after they have been used for a period of time, which can make riding the toy a less desirable experience. The use of coil springs is also disadvantageous because coil springs tend to plastically deform relatively easily when they are subjected to prolonged cyclical stress, which can contribute to a ride which includes too much freedom of movement and thus feels unnatural.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved toy riding apparatus which is readily capable of being ridden by a child.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toy riding apparatus which provides an extended range of riding motion.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a toy riding apparatus which presents a relatively reduced opportunity for a rider to be pinched by the apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toy riding apparatus which maintains a relatively quiet ride over time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy riding apparatus which maintains a ride having a relatively natural feel over time.